Central nervous system shunt monitoring system

Abstract

A method of monitoring Central Nervous Shunt performance by sampling non-invasive data from a patient with hydrocephalus condition. The sampled data is processed to produce a determination of probable shunt operation. Where the shunt may not operate properly, the processing produces a prediction of possible shunt malfunction. The processing includes a method to assess which of a set of possible malfunctions is the most likely. The processing can also be used to advise the user on how to remedy the problem diagnosed. The shunt performance rating can also be used to monitor shunt performance over time and process the time data to provide for a shunt operation status or observe the compatibility of a particular shunt type to a patient.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method of determining a probable operating condition of a Central Nervous System (CNS) shunt, said method comprising: 
       quantifying the nausea level for the patient;  
       quantifying the headache level for the patient;  
       quantifying the possible condition of the CNS shunt by conducting a physical examination of the shunt valve, connectors, and distal catheter of the shunt;  
       quantifying the cognitive state of the patient by performing at least one test;  
       quantifying the change in complaints for the patient when changing positions from one postural position to another; and  
       processing the results of said quantified measurements by performing the following steps:  
       determining the positional change value;  
       estimating intracranial pressure by correlating a value to the results of said cognitive, headache, and nausea quantification;  
       correlating at least one code for a CNS shunt condition to said possible condition of the CNS shunt; and  
       correlating at least one code, corresponding to a shunt performance prediction, to said estimated intracranial pressure and said code for said CNS shunt condition.  
     
     
       2. The method of claim  1  further comprising the step of recommending an intervention based on said prediction. 
     
     
       3. The method of claim  1  further comprising the steps of: 
       selecting an intervention based on said shunt performance prediction;  
       performing said intervention;  
       assessing the status of the patient by making at least one additional observation; and  
       narrowing a range of predicted CNS shunt operation conditions by using the results of said additional observation.  
     
     
       4. The method of claim  1 , further comprising the additional step of storing all predictions for a patient. 
     
     
       5. The method of claim  1  wherein a procedure is repeated until a single predicted CNS shunt operation condition remains, said procedure comprising the steps of: 
       assessing the status of the patient by making at least one additional observation; and  
       narrowing the range of predicted CNS shunt operation conditions by using the results of said additional observation.  
     
     
       6. The method of claim  1  wherein the step of estimating intracranial pressure includes a barometric pressure measurement. 
     
     
       7. A method of determining a probable operating condition of a Central Nervous System (CNS) shunt, said method comprising the steps of: 
       estimating the relative intracranial pressure by using a set of non-invasive observations;  
       conducting an examination of said CNS shunt;  
       processing the results of said intracranial pressure estimate and said shunt examination to provide at least one prediction of CNS shunt operation condition; and  
       communicating said at least one prediction to a user by selecting a description from a set of prediction descriptions.  
     
     
       8. A method of estimating intracranial pressure changes in a patient having a CNS shunt, said method comprising the steps of: 
       generating a score for the patient nausea level;  
       generating a score for the patient headache level;  
       generating a score for the patient cognitive response level; and  
       correlating said nausea score, said headache score, and said cognitive response score to estimate the said pressure changes.  
     
     
       9. The method of claim  8  further comprising the additional steps of generating a score for eye signs of the patient and correlating the eye sign score to estimate said pressure changes. 
     
     
       10. The method of claim  8  further comprising the additional step of generating a score for balance of the patient and correlating the balance score to estimate said pressure changes. 
     
     
       11. The method of claim  10  further comprising the steps of: 
       generating a score for a patient eye signs level;  
       generating a score for a patient malaise level; and  
       correlating said eye sign score and said malaise score to estimate said pressure changes.  
     
     
       12. The method of claim  8  further comprising the additional step of generating a score for a malaise level of the patient and correlating the malaise level to estimate said pressure changes.